PRINTER'S NO. 3414
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1955
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY MENTZER, KIM, FREEMAN, GREINER, DONATUCCI,
McNEILL, CONKLIN, READSHAW, PICKETT, PYLE, MILLARD, T. DAVIS,
BROWN, WILLIAMS, STRUZZI, ROZZI, ZIMMERMAN, GLEIM AND DeLUCA,
MARCH 4, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 4, 2020
AN ACT
Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further
providing for commencement of proceedings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) On October 12, 2018, the Governor signed into law
Act 79 of 2018, which authorizes the "court" to order law
enforcement officers to serve a protection from abuse order
on a defendant if the plaintiff alleges that his or her
safety is in jeopardy absent the help of the law enforcement
officer.
(2) Act 79 of 2018 did not define the term "court" or
otherwise amend the definitions relating to protection from
abuse matters under Chapter 61 of Title 20 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
(3) Because there were no changes to the definitions
under Chapter 61, a magisterial district judge who enters an
emergency protection from abuse order on nights, weekends,
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